GH2
Contents:
Introduction
Tips For Beginners
The Transition From Medium To Hard
Hammer-Ons And Pull-Offs (HO/PO)
Star Power
Difficulty Descriptions
Career Mode Walkthrough (Use Ctrl-F to locate the song)
Legal Information
Contact Information
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INTRODUCTION
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Hello everyone, and welcome to my Guitar Hero 2 FAQ. This FAQ is a Walkthrough
of Career mode with strategies and techniques for passing a song on any
difficulty. I've included advice on 5-starring a song where I felt appropriate,
and I plan on extending a new section or FAQ for that specifically. Also, I
have beaten the game on every difficulty while writing this FAQ, multiple times
for most the songs on Expert. All information is based off of first-hand
experience.
I wrote most of this FAQ in January 2007. I wish I finished it long before
this, but hey, school comes first. However, during my semester away at college
I finished second in two campus-wide Guitar Hero 2 contests. I also made myself
a Scorehero page, http://www.scorehero.com/scores.php?user=34320&game=2&diff=4.
Send any questions, comments, or concerns my way: Ratz6928@gmail.com. Keep in
mind that I wrote this FAQ to guide beginners from their first day through
expert mode. I fully plan on compiling more information an FAQ geared towards
those guitar gods out there.
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TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
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Congratulations on your choice of Guitar Hero 2! These tips are specifically
centered to prepare beginners for the first few days of game play.
First and foremost, it's ok if you can't get the hang of the game right away.
Everyone learns at a different pace. If it's frustrating leave the game for
about a day and try again, the improvements you see by just letting it soak in
will amaze you. Trust me ;).
Your first course of action should be completing the first two tutorials. This
will teach you to press the fret button and the strum bar at the same time. I
recommend the second tutorial for extra practice, not so much for the star
power information. If you like the fail-free environment you can always bring
your problems to Practice Mode.
Start Career Mode on Easy and play through some of the songs. Move on to medium
if you take to it quickly and score over 90% of the notes with four or five
stars. If not, that's ok! Keep at it and you'll be rockin' out in no time! The
goal is to gain confidence with the three frets and move on to Medium. If you
want to play through Easy go ahead, but it may have a negative effect later
since it's an incomplete way to play.
Once you are playing songs in Medium strive to have a high note percentage. The
percentage is in clear view above your score once you beat a song. Your focus
should be in two places: using your pinky for the blue fret button and learning
note transitions. Your pinky is important - you can play more chords than with
two or three fingers and it makes learning to shift a lot easier. Speaking of
chords, the two hardest are the RB and GB chords. The RB chord uses your middle
finger and pinky and the GB chord uses your index finger and pinky. Both
positions feel unnatural and need some practice.
On to note transitions! Good note transitioning means that you can play any of
the four notes and six available chords with confidence, even during the fast
songs! Practice is the best method. You should finish Medium since some of the
last songs are excellent for testing your note transitions. Develop that
confidence along with your playing ability! You can try to 5 star all the
songs, but I recommend moving on to Hard. Before that you might want to read my
next section.
Overall, just have fun! This is just advice on how to start a game; the most
important part is to find your own way. Realize also that playing Guitar Hero,
much like playing a musical instrument, takes time, patience, and lots of
PRACTICE.
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THE TRANSITION FROM MEDIUM TO HARD
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I didn't have to read the message boards very long to find the
complaints about moving from Medium to Hard. There is a considerable difference
in difficulty that almost every player struggles with. Here are some tips to
help you stay on your feet.
A major skill you have to learn is a concept called 'shifting'. Hard uses 5
frets and you only use four fingers. The 'normal' hand position up to now has
been GRYB, the index finger on G, the middle finger on R, etc. When you shift
you literally shift your hand over to the right so your index finger is on R.
This position is commonly referred to as RYBO.
Shifting will change the way you think of the notes and it takes a bit of
practice to master. A few major differences are the RB and YO chords. Instead
of using your middle finger and pinky for RB you can use the index finger and
ring finger. The YO chord is the middle finger and pinky combination.
Before you turn the game on unplug your SG controller from the PS2 (or XBOX
360, I won't discriminate!). Watch your hands as you shift and work out some of
the chords. Just get a feeling for it, no more than a couple minutes. You can
return to this practice method if you find yourself having troubles later.
It's time to dive into Hard mode! Shout at the Devil and Woman are harder than
most the songs in the first three sets of songs (tiers). If you're having a lot
of trouble I suggest exiting career mode and enter Quick Play. You can play any
of the songs you have unlocked in any of your bands and play it on any
difficulty. Mother, Surrender, Strutter, and Heart-Shaped Box are widely
considered the easiest. Utilize Practice Mode and put the songs on Slow. You
can slow it down even more if you're still having problems. The Medium to Hard
transition is a significant road-block, but once you have it down you're good
to go for the rest of Hard and Expert.
Wait, no, I lied. The last thing you need for Hard and Expert are Hammer-Ons
and Pull-Offs!
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HAMMER-ONS AND PULL-OFFS (HO/PO)
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HO/PO's are allow you to play notes without strumming. You can't HO/PO every
note. Notice on each note either a black ring on the top or a solid white
appearance. You can HO/PO the white notes without a black ring. It takes a
little getting used to, but not long to master.
View the third tutorial for some hands-on HO/PO practice. In short, a Hammer-On
is when you 'hammer on' or hold down the string for the next note without
strumming again. A Pull-Off is the opposite - you hold all the strings and only
the top string would vibrate until you 'pull off' that string to the next
lowest note you're holding. To put it simply, HO's are for ascending runs and
PO's are for descending runs.
HO's are easier to execute because you only have to press the next key. In the
first Guitar Hero you needed to keep all the buttons pressed, and, while it's
still helpful to do so, you won't get a wrong note by moving your finger. An
example of a HO would be the three note run G-R-Y. You would strum for G and
without strumming press down R and then Y when the timing is right. It's easy
to rush HO's, so practice these on easier songs when you get the chance.
PO's require more anticipation. The text-book way to do a PO on a Y-R-G run is
to hold G-R-Y and strum while holding all three. When appropriate remove your
finger from Y (R is played) and then R (G is played). The game designers also
favorably upgraded PO's. If you strum Y and then move to R without holding
anything down it will still register.
HO/PO's, while very helpful, can also do more harm than good. When attempting a
longer run it's easy to miss a note. If that happens you must strum again. Hold
down the strum bar instead of letting go since you can recover faster.
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STAR POWER
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The second in-game tutorial is about Star Power. I highly recommend completing
this tutorial.
Above your rock meter is the Star Power meter. The meter fills by completing
Star Power Phrases. Each song has a set number of these phrases. The notes of a
Star Power Phrase are shaped like stars (oddly enough) and if you complete the
phrase without making a mistake your meter will fill by about 25%.
Additionally, if there is a sustained note in a Star Power Phrase use your
Whammy Bar to add extra Star Power directly to the meter. Star Power becomes
available at 50%. Tilt your guitar controller vertically or press Select to
activate it.
Activating Star Power turns all your notes the same color, doubles the
multiplier, and greatly increases the rock meter as you play the correct notes.
Star Power decreases with the beat of the song and the game returns to normal
when the meter runs out. Keep in mind that the Star Power Phrases are in the
same place on every difficulty.
Star Power greatly aids in passing harder songs. When you notice the Rock meter
falling into red activate Star Power and with a few correct notes you'll be
back in green! This makes surviving complicated solos and tricky songs a lot
easier.
Star Power is essential for 5 starring a song, especially on Expert. Wait until
you have a high multiplier and then use Star Power to double it. Crank your
score up even higher by using Star Power in chord-intensive areas. Chords are
already two times the score of a single note, three times the score in the case
of three note chords. Star Power doubles the doubled amount. It doesn't take a
math genius to realize a huge score increase, especially at a x8 multiplier!
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DIFFICULTY DESCRIPTIONS
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Guitar Hero 2, like its predecessor, has four modes of difficulty:
Easy - Easy is intended for beginners. Every song utilizes the G, R, and Y
frets. There are fewest notes on the Easy difficulty and little involvement in
the solos. Most of the notes are on the beat and spaced enough to comfortably
anticipate their execution. Only three chords are possible, but their
appearances are rare. Easy requires you to complete 3/4 songs of each tier (4/4
on the 7th) and ends on the 7th tier. Encores are not offered on Easy and you
do not earn money for completing the songs.
Medium - I like to think of Medium as an extension of Easy. Every song uses the
G, R, Y, and B frets. The songs contain more off-beats, more notes, and more
chords. This stage in the game is critical to a player's development in using
four fingers. With that being said, USE YOUR PINKY FOR THE B FRET!!!!! A
beginner should find Medium to be a worthy challenge while an experienced
player should easily 5 star most the songs. Medium requires you to complete 3/4
songs of each tier (4/4 on the 8th) and the encore offered after beating the
third song. If you say 'no' to performing the encore the audience will boo and
the song selection screen will tell you to beat the encore to continue. It is
more advantageous to accept the encore since your rock meter will start very
high. Money is awarded for completing any song from here on out.
Hard - Hard mode can be considered Expert mode 'abridged' (most the difficulty,
but not all of it). Hard uses all five frets and the concepts of shifting and
HO/PO's become essential in passing or 5 starring all the songs. The transition
from Medium to Hard is rough. If you are a beginner or someone struggling with
Hard I suggest you read my notes on the transition in the previous section.
Each song has more notes and more chords. You will also start seeing three note
chords. The solos become more complex requiring HO/PO some of the time. Hard
requires you to complete all 4 songs of each tier and the encore.
Expert - Expert, as one could reasonably expect, is the hardest mode of the
game. Expert mode expands off Hard by giving you the 'unabridged' version of
the song - you get the most notes, the most complex runs, and even more money
after completing a song. Need I also mention the most satisfaction? Expert
requires you to complete everything, but you probably already knew that!
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CAREER MODE WALKTHROUGH
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FIRST DISCLAIMER: I am a music person and I speak in musical terms. To
understand my Walkthrough you need to know what 'the beat' is. You know when
people tap their feet to a song? They're tapping the beat. Each beat can be
considered a quarter note. Quarter notes can be subdivided into eighth notes (2
notes in one beat), sixteenth notes (4 notes in one beat), or triplets (3 notes
in one beat). In layman's terms there are eighth notes (fast), sixteenth notes
(really fast), and triplets (strangely off-beat).
SECOND DISCLAIMER: While I didn't describe every part of every song I tried to
give an overview of the sections that need attention. This is why my Easy
Walkthroughs are a couple of sentences while some Expert Walkthroughs are
almost a page long!
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1. Opening Licks
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Shout at the Devil - Motley Crew
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Easy - Welcome to Guitar Hero 2! Your first song is easy. You stay on the beat
with no chords.
Medium - This is where you first see the blue fret, so let's get that pinky
limber! The song is still easy at this point. If you're feeling industrious use
a hammer-on for the last notes of G-G-G-R G-G-G-Y.
Hard - The choruses are the multiplier killer. The chord runs will be the same,
but there is an additional R-Y-B-Y-B-O. You need to shift at the beginning of
the run or on the O. I prefer the latter, but it's a hard line to hit either
way. Every so often it changes to R-Y-B-O-B-R. The verses are probably best for
star power - they're mostly chords and easy to keep the multiplier high. The
slower tempo (yes, this is a slow tempo) keeps the star power around longer.
The runs change, but they are easily hit without shifting. Be careful of the
solo's faster notes as they are on the beat and comfortably strummed without
going up and down.
Expert - GY, RB, and YO chords show up a lot in a repetitive fashion during the
verses. The R-Y-B-Y-B-O line stays the same and still has star power a lot of
the time. The verses and the chorus are nearly identical notewise. The solo
features a couple sets of 'trills'. These are made easy with HO/PO, so strum
once and alternate between the two. Even though HO/PO makes them easier you
still have to correctly finger the notes! The rest of the song shouldn't be a
surprise.
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Mother - Danzig
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Easy - I thought Mother was easier that Shout at the Devil. Take this
opportunity to gain confidence with the SG controller.
Medium - Feels irritatingly slow, so don't make the same mistakes I did by
anticipating the coming notes and strumming too early.
Hard - The chords GY-RB-YO appear in that order and descending order all
throughout the song. The verses are a good place to practice shifting since the
notes are ascending and descending all over the board. The first guitar solo
looks very threatening, but it's just an ascending and descending pattern. The
second solo needs a bit more work with a lot of fast transitions and HO/PO
opportunities.
Expert - This is not the same song you remember from Hard! The problems are the
RB and YO chords appearing right next to each other. If your fingers aren't
limber enough you'll miss this frequent beat. That's no big deal for passing,
but it makes 5 starring a challenge. The first solo is ok with HO/PO, but the
second solo is hard! You can get through it with star power, but if you're
going for points then definitely put Guitar Solo 2A-2D in Practice mode.
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Surrender - Cheap Trick
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Easy - A longer song, but nothing a beginner can't handle. Beware of the tempo
slowing down at the end.
Medium - There's a lot of notes, but it really isn't that difficult. This is a
great song to practice note transitions and chords. Speaking of chords there
are a lot of YB chords with all the other chords we've seen. The slowdown from
Easy gets more challenging with more notes. A great way to gage the pace of the
ritard is to listen to the band in the background and strum at their pace.
Hard - The main line is very chord intensive. The first verse has a G-G-GY...
pattern and then an R-R-RB... pattern. Make sure to shift after the first
pattern since the third is O-O-YO. The chorus is a mixture of chords. Start out
shifted and make sure to shift back whenever chorus repeats itself. The guitar
fills are simple and the outro features a line of B eighth notes for 5-10
seconds.
Expert - Make sure to shift whenever you see an R during the verses and the
chorus. There's also an awkward shift near the end of the verse where you're
playing G's and GY's and then Y's and YO's. A couple of strange fills cause
minor issues but not enough to ruin your chances of passing or 5 starring.
Remember that the song slows down after the long line of B's. With some
practice on the guitar fills this is one of the easier songs to hit 100% of the
notes.
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Woman - Wolfmother
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Easy - Watch out for off-beats on the solo.
Medium - I hope you practiced your chords, because you're about to get another
one! The choruses are all chords we've seen plus the RB chord. This chord needs
some practice since using the middle finger and pinky isn't a natural movement.
With practice it gets easier. The rest of the song is easy and the star powers
are on simple progressions.
Hard - Make sure that when you play the chorus line YB-YB-YB-YB-YB-YB-R-Y-B in
the GRYB position. It's very hard to complete the phrase when you have to shift
in the middle of it. The star power is frequent; I suggest using it during the
chorus. After two verses and choruses there is a bridge and a guitar solo. Much
of that time is spent doing B-Y-R runs. It's plausible to strum normally, but
this is awesome PO practice. There are three B-Y-R runs and then a B-Y-R-Y.
Strum on the Y on that last one. When the song turns to G-R-Y-B in the same
fashion I suggest strumming those normally, but then again, maybe you'll have
more luck with HO's on this section than I did. There's another B-B-B... line
near the end that needs to be strummed up and down.
Expert - This time the chorus line is YO-YO-YO-YO-YO-YO-R-Y-B. The line moves
fast so it's easy to miss the last B. This is a frequent downfall to the
multiplier. The bridge is harder with O-B-Y-B-Y-R-Y-R-B O-B-Y-B-Y-R-B-Y-R-B-G,
only this time you can PO the entire line. Guitar Solo C looks disgusting hard
when you first see it. Slow it down and you'll find the easy patterns of three
emerge. It will take time, but you'll get it!
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Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight - Spinal Tap
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ENCORE SONG, NOT AVAILABLE ON EASY MODE AND ONLY AVAILABLE AFTER COMPLETING 3/4
MEDIUM SONGS AND 4/4 HARD AND EXPERT SONGS!!!!!
Medium - The four verses and the Trill Me!!! Section are a great place to pick
up points. There aren't as many notes, so get that pinky working right to max
out your score!
Hard - The entire intro (and all the times this line repeats in the solo
sections) can be done in the GRYB position. The Trill Me!!! Section after can
be counted as triplets (Y--Y--Y = 1--2--3 repeated). Keep your finger on the
green for the chorus since it's all G and GR. Pick up the star power where you
can, mostly from the solos. I suggest using it in chord-heavy areas like the
chorus. The ending slows down to a bunch of sustains.
Expert - You know that opening solo? Get that part down! It has star power
almost every time! Make sure to shift after the fifth note of these solos. The
Trill Me!!! Section can be accomplished by strumming once and HO/PO the rest of
time. However, the beat gets confusing and you should practice it a few times
to get it right. The GY-GY-GB-GY-GY-GB section looks easy, but it's easy to
hang on B too long and miss the first chord of the next set. The rest of the
song is straightforward until the end. The notes at the end look and feel like
they should be strummed very fast, but they should be strummed at a slower
pace.
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2. Amp Warmers
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Strutter - Kiss
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Easy - Where difficulty is concerned the only difference is more quarter notes
Medium - There are more notes, but the song is easier than the last two songs
of the first tier. There's nothing too bad to look out for, this should be an
easy pass and an easy 5 star if you have that pinky in shape.
Hard - You can play most of this song without even shifting. Most of the verses
are fast chords repeated. The most common line is G-G-G-GR and R-R-R-RY. The
two solos require shifting, but they are on the beat. Almost all the song is on
the beat for that matter. Let Star Power rip wherever you think the points will
be the highest!
Expert - At the start of every phrase you have to hit the same note a quick
three times. The chords aren't so bad, until the end of the phrases and the
chorus where you have quicker three note chords that involve shifting. Both
solos don't need a whole lot of extra practice, but be wary of the Y-B and R-Y
trilling in the first and second solos. This song is not so hard to pass and
get 4 stars. The constant chord changes and the three note pick-up tend to ruin
the multiplier, so 5 stars is a little more challenging.
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Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana
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Easy - There are a lot more notes than what you've been seeing, including a
bunch of eighth notes. Watch out for funny beats at the end of the chorus and
the slowing tempo at the end of the song.
Medium - If you learned how to use your pinky really well I wouldn't be
surprised to see beginners get 100% of the notes on this song. The star power
is more spread out, so if you are having troubles try practicing the main line
of the verses so you can pass the song.
Hard - Once you have the hang of the intro/verse line you have this song. There
is shifting involved and a random BO chord in the midst of running notes. The
solo has some three-note runs, but they are manageable without using HO/PO.
Expert - The intro/verse line is the same from Hard save for a handful of YO
chords at the end of every repeat. Save your star power for the end of the
chorus with the easy two and three note chords. The solo is pretty easy with a
few three note runs. You should be able to HO/PO those by now. Sit back and
enjoy not-Kurt Cobain sing about being trapped in boxes and eating cancer. Joke
aside, this is arguably the easiest song on expert to full-combo, the great FC!
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Message in a Bottle - The Police
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Easy - I hope that you're a patient person because this song is long without as
many notes! Don't let the solo in the background cause confusion with what
you're playing.
Medium - This song feels like it got longer. It's still a good song and on
Medium it is still mild. There are plenty of GY and RB chords in the chorus and
a lot of room for a huge score. Rhythm-wise nothing is tricky.
Hard - Wow, now the song feels shorter! The main line for the verses is
constantly moving between the GRYB and the chorus has fun with the constant BO-
B-BO-B and RB-R-RB-R. Be careful here, it's easy to make a mistake. Towards the
middle there are little sections between the verses and the chorus. These
always ruined my multiplier, mostly because I was trying to HO/PO and I
probably shouldn't have. I'll advise you don't either, but feel free to ignore
:). The solo at the end starts like those random sections, and in many ways is
one. Watch out for the tricky combinations it sends your way. Also note that
the last note of the song is a YBO chord! It comes up fast, so get your three
fingers ready!
Expert - Let's take this in three parts.
1. The Verses - It's the same line of eighth notes repeated a bunch of times.
Even if you mess up the first couple of repetitions you'll have it down after
your first run of the song. Keep fingers on RYBO and only shift to hit the one
G at the end of each phrase.
2. The Choruses - The chorus can get tricky when the chords change. The pattern
is BO-B-BO-B-BO-B-BO-B-RB-R-RB-R-RB-R-RB-R. Your fingers will want to keep RB
pressed down.
The Solo - Parts A, B, and C are like the interludes you've had between the
verses and choruses. Part D needs some work. The theory behind it is simple -
hold G and HO the rest of the notes. The timing is a little funky, but it's
manageable. If worse comes to worse you can still bomb this section and 5 star
the song (I know I sure did!). Be careful of the YBO chord at the end, it
sneaks up on you.
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You Really Got Me - Van Halen
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Easy - A good song for beginners to practice quicker note transitions,
especially between G-Y.
Medium - There's a lot of off-beat notes near the end of the verses and the
chorus with a mix of star power. Have fun with the chords ending the phrases.
An easier way to take them down is to never take your finger off the first fret
of the phrase, like G-G-GR-G - never take your finger of the green and just
press it down the red. This tip isn't the most helpful here, but very helpful
on harder difficulties.
Hard - This one can actually take a little practice to get used to. There's a
lot of RB chords in the beginning followed by Y and G, that messes even the
best of us up. Try using star power on the YB-YB-R-YB and BO-BO-Y-BO sections.
The solo begins with double-strumming B's and a crazy trill between B and Y,
then B and R, then B and G very close together. It's not enough to fail the
song, but could use some work if it gets you down. In the outro and end wankery
(I love that term!) there is an RYO chord.
Expert - The intro, verses and choruses are easy. A lot of it is the same from
Hard. In between the easy parts are several runs, hard note patterns, and B-O
trill! HO/PO save the day again, but after some serious practice. Guitar Solo A
and the End Wankery are the hardest parts. Slowing them down will reveal how to
HO/PO the patterns consistently. Another way to combo Solo A is a technique
called 'tapping'. This is where you move your strumming hand to the fret board
and tap the notes that are too fast to combo with one hand. This technique
takes a lot of practice if you decide to take that road.
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Carry On Wayward Sun - Kansas
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ENCORE SONG, NOT AVAILABLE ON EASY MODE AND ONLY AVAILABLE AFTER COMPLETING 3/4
MEDIUM SONGS AND 4/4 HARD AND EXPERT SONGS!!!!!
Medium - This song is a preview of motifs to come. The rhythms are harder and
there are more notes. There are also 19 Star Power Phrases to help you out. The
guitar riffs near the end are great practice for the harder modes.
Hard -Another long, yet rewarding song. The Main Riff at the beginning and
until the slow part are some of the hardest parts of the song. You can pull-off
B-Y-R, but you may want to strum it out if you're more confident that way. That
line has star power a couple of times. The first verse and chorus is a strait
line of eighth notes. If you know your positions well then this part is easy.
Next is a Guitar Riff section featuring the line G-B-Y-R-G-R-G-R-Y. Everything
after the first G is fast and almost needs HO/PO. On the bright side, if you
HO/PO this line correctly you only need to strum twice! The rest of the song is
a recap of all the previous motifs.
Expert - This is easiest described in three sections:
1. Intro - the Swing Riff is a little difficult. You won't have much Star Power
to help you out unless you are able to execute the long Star Power Phrases.
Actually, most of this song's 19 Star Power Phrases aren't very accessible. The
first solo comes next and it is hard! It's not too long, but I recommend you
slow it down in Practice mode.
2. Verse 1-2 and Choruses - You'll have strait eighth notes most of the time
with a couple chords for good measure. It's not that hard, so be careful of
making little mistakes.
3. Solos and Riffs - The guitar riff is a challenge. You will see O-Y-B-R-Y-G-
R-Y a few times. It goes really fast (bad!) but you only have to strum once
(good!). Strum O then HO/PO the rest. Think of it as Y-B, R-Y, and G-R
separately. You don't have to HO/PO, some just find it easier that way. Solo 2
starts out ok, but has a hard combination of descending chords ending on GB.
Solo 3 also starts out fine, but then does an ascending run ending on BO
chords. It comes at you fast, so slow it down in Practice mode to see where the
chords are hit.
Everything between the solos and riffs is a repetition of an easier rhythm.
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3. String Snappers
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Monkey Wrench - Foo Fighters
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Easy - Most the song is quarter notes - find the beat and the song is nothing.
There are a few sections with off-beat notes, but not enough to fail the song.
Medium - Had enough of the slow songs or the fast songs without a lot of notes?
Well good, because Monkey Wrench starts out with a lot of eight notes and a
guitar line that sounds like a real guitar line! About 75% of the song is the
first and second nearly identical verses, choruses, and guitar hooks.
Hard - If you're good with chords this is an easy 250,000+ point song. The only
part I really saw as troublesome was the opening line and with its repetitions.
The 6 notes at the end tend to confuse many with counting. Save your star power
for the choruses or the extended break where the singer is shouting.
Expert - There are three guitar hooks and no, you're not seeing things, those
are GO chords! You will play a descending chord line shifted on RYBO and after
you get past the GO chords shift you pinky to the left and finish the phrase
(or you can stay at RYBO and stretch to G, I find it easier). When you finish
the phrase use HO/PO to buy time to shift your hand back. There are 2 chords on
every beat, so it's hard to fail this song. When the singer is shouting the GY-
RY-GY chords you've been seeing the entire song invert to RY-GY-RY. Enjoy the
song though, even if I had to score well over 300,000 for 5 stars.
-----------------------------------------------------
Them Bones - Alice in Chains
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - Get used to the beat, it really helps for later difficulties. Eights
notes are also more prevalent in the main lines. Finally, the last note of the
song is an RY chord; this is the first time a chord appears, learn to love 'em!
Medium - The chorus is the killer here. Take it one note at a time and it's
simple, but the last thing you want to do is get intimidated by the number of
notes on the board. The ending of this song introduces us to a new concept -
crazy guitar riffs at the end of songs! This one looks worse than it is, but
don't over-strum, there's nothing faster than eight notes.
Hard - For the first half of the song I only saw 6 notes that were not chords.
Transitions between the GRYB chords are frequent. The solo has a moderate
amount of runs. If you're having trouble use the star power here. Beware: after
the song feels like it's about to end there is another line of fast notes and
runs.
Expert - Each phrase starts with G-GYB. It's easy to miss the G. Most of the
song is easy until the solo. Part C has a tough HO/PO section, but even without
star power there's a good chance you won't fail the song from it. The ending is
psychotic! Definitely put it into Practice mode and slow it down if you want to
execute all of it. You should be able to 5 star the song with just a high
multiplier for the verses and choruses.
-----------------------------------------------------
Search and Destroy - Iggy Pop and the Stooges
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - Just make sure you're thinking when you're playing the technical solo at
the end.
Medium - Technically speaking, this is easier than the rest of the songs in
this tier. The solo at the end has a more complicated pattern, but you've
already seen worse.
Hard - Yet another chord song, but a lot more technical this time! There are
frequent four note runs and during the chorus there are lines that require you
to take one finger off the chord then move down and do the same (YB-Y-Y-YB-RY-
R-R...). The ending is a large solo with runs that require HO/PO and several G-
Y-G-Y and Y-O-Y-O at odd intervals with runs playing in the background. This is
an excellent song to practice on if you're getting stuck.
Expert - The intro has a moderate difficulty and you should get most of it on
the second or third try. The verses and chorus are very chord-heavy. Stay in
the RYBO position unless you have to play a G, but immediately shift back up.
The other things to watch out for here are the GY and RY transitions as they
tend to get muddled up. The end of the song is a 7-part solo. Parts B, C, D,
and G are some nasty HO/PO runs. There isn't much star power, so make it count.
Again, you don't have to be perfect through the solo. I 5 starred the song by
maximizing the star power on the chords earlier in the song.
-----------------------------------------------------
Tattooed Love Boys - The Pretenders
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - In the middle of the song there are a lot of weird off-beats for the
main line. Most of them repeat, so it's easy to get a handle on it.
Medium - The only note I have is for the end of the choruses. It sounds like
there are sixteenth notes, but you are only strumming eighth notes. The off-
beats in the middle of the song are easier to deal with since there are more of
them and it makes a bit more sense.
Hard - The guitar break has some weird off-beats and a few areas in a row that
need to be strummed up and down. The verses and chorus are still half-time.
Enjoy the easiness while it lasts!
Expert - The verses are the same easy verses from Hard. The chorus, however,
has twice the notes it did in Hard. You need to strum up and down here, but
note that there are two GY chords, keep your finger on it longer! Try to PO the
note before the next set if you're having trouble keeping the multiplier. The
Guitar Break is pretty rough and it may need Practice mode. Overall, not too
hard to pass, but challenging to 5 star.
Need I also mention that the words to this song are just plain awful?
-----------------------------------------------------
War Pigs - Black Sabbath
-----------------------------------------------------
ENCORE SONG, NOT AVAILABLE ON EASY MODE AND ONLY AVAILABLE AFTER COMPLETING 3/4
MEDIUM SONGS AND 4/4 HARD AND EXPERT SONGS!!!!!
Medium - Everything is generally on the beat until around the end of the song.
There's a good blend of eighth notes, chords, and a few opportunities for
HO/PO. This song could have been several minutes shorter, but that's just my
opinion.
Hard - The best feature of this song is the fantastic HO/PO practice! The
trouble starts in the first solo. Random off-beats pop up as well as some
difficult runs. Note that this song is easy to pass, but the frequent off-beats
(and my messing up HO/PO) kill the multiplier.
Expert - Most of the main lines are repeated a lot. There are several 'fillers'
between chords, like a Y-B trill, an RYO chord, a PO O-B-Y-R with star power,
or a note or two. The real test comes at the solo. Parts A-C are alright, but
Part D is a killer. It has a continuing pattern of R-Y-R in a group of three,
but the rest of it comes at you fast. The second solo is very challenging as
well with a shorter reprise of Part C in the first.
===============================================================================
4. Thrash and Burn
===============================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------
Cherry Pie
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - Cherry Pie features weird off-beats. Puts a smile on your face ten miles
wide!
Medium - The choruses are all chords. There's an unusually low amount of notes
in this song (297), so make your multiplier count!
Hard - You know what puts a smile on my face ten miles wide? An easy song on
Hard! There's a few off-beats, but if you know the song you won't be surprised.
Expert - The repetitions have slight changes that can trick your fingers into
mistakes. The chorus added pickup notes to RB and YO chords. Especially beware
of the G pickup to YO. The solo throws a lot of notes at you quickly, but you
should be used to that by now. There's a low threshold for 5 stars, I scored
just over 100,000 and got it, so it's still a moderate song where difficulty is
concerned.
-----------------------------------------------------
Who was in my room last night? - Butthole Surfers
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - A preview of more motifs to come with the fast-paced, quick-thinking
tempo. The song also starts on a GY chord and has several RY chords also thrown
in.
Medium - Can you finger GY-GY-GY-R-R-R-GY-GY-GY fast? If so, this song is
nothing. That's all you play during the verses. There are simpler eighth notes
in the choruses. The last thing you should look out for is a line of B-B-B... in
the middle of the solo. These are triplets, not eight notes!
Hard - The song starts on a GYB chord. The main line through the verses is GY-
GY-R-Y-R-G-GY-GY-GY repeated a lot! This fast rhythm could give some problems,
but if you strum the first three notes and HO/PO the R-Y-R-G you'll be racking
in the points! The chorus starts with R-YB, so shift over. Another cool line in
the chorus is R-Y-B-O-Y-B-Y-R. You just need to strum the first note and HO/PO
the rest! The solo has some interesting off-beats, but once you have the line
in the verses under control passing the song and 5 starring it is almost
guaranteed!
Expert - Just like on Hard, GY-GY-R-Y-R-G-GY-GY-GY repeats a lot. It is still
helpful to use HO/PO for the R-Y-R-G. The chorus gets trickier, but you can
HO/PO an impressively long line. Watch out for the three note chords and you'll
be fine to pass this song. If you're still having problems go on Hard, beat
that version a couple of times, and then come back to Expert.
-----------------------------------------------------
Girlfriend - Matthew Sweet
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - I think Red Octane is making fun of all the guys who play Guitar Hero
with this song. I for one was kind of depressed. And then I got a real
girlfriend!
Medium - This is the first time that different chords will be next to each
other in an eight note pattern. This only appears in the beginning with YB-YB-
RY-YB. The solo tends to get off-beat, but that's not too much of a problem.
Hard - If the last tier was the chord tier then this tier is the rhythm tier!
Rhythm is the only thing you need to worry about. The guitar solos are easy,
especially with HO/PO. Watch out for the third verse's off-beats (after the
solo).
Expert - The shifts to RYBO come fast and often. All through the song there are
four note sets such as Y-B-Y-R, the last three notes are fast and need HO/PO.
Personally I find it easier to strum the first and third note and PO the second
and fourth. The second Guitar Solo several runs that end with two note trills.
These are easier than the ones you've had already and HO/PO makes them
considerably less daunting.
-----------------------------------------------------
Can't you hear me Knockin? - The Rolling Stones
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - Rhythmically tricky is the best way to describe this song. Don't get
complacent, especially during the solo because it's easy to miss a string of
off-beat notes.
Medium - The first 60% of the song is the same thing repeated. The notes B-B-B-
Y-B-Y ("Can't you hear me knockin'?") are repeated constantly with star power.
The solo is still technical, but should feel easier. I think it's funny that I
got 99% of the notes on Medium and 98% of the notes on Easy.
Hard - This song is unique. It has a couple verses and choruses but they change
a little bit every time. The major chords are still the same as well as the BO-
BO-BO-YB-BO-YB line. The beginning tests your note transition skills while the
main line continually moves. The solo is pleasantly easy with four-note runs on
the beat.
Expert - In addition to the Hard suggestions, there are two more things to
consider. There are a lot of eighth note fillers between the main chords of the
verses and chorus. These are frequently missed. The other is the BO-BO-BO-YB-
BO-YB line alternating to BO-BO-BO-YB-RB-YB during the verses. Believe it or
not, the hardest parts are the beginning chords. Thankfully the solo stays
simple to end the song.
-----------------------------------------------------
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
-----------------------------------------------------
ENCORE SONG, NOT AVAILABLE ON EASY MODE AND ONLY AVAILABLE AFTER COMPLETING 3/4
MEDIUM SONGS AND 4/4 HARD AND EXPERT SONGS!!!!!
Medium - The line played at the beginning of the song is the Guitar Hook. You
will be playing this line a lot. There's a long solo when it feels like the
song is about to end. The solo is technical, so stay attentive. Other than that
there's not a lot of star power, so keeping the multiplier high should be a
priority.
Hard - Most of the song's first half is a pretty guitar beat. The eighth notes
are always moving, so make sure to shift and know you note transitions! The
song seems to change tone around the solo. There are faster lines that need
HO/PO, but there isn't enough to fail the song. Use star power if you're having
problems, but if your rock meter is in the green you have little to worry
about.
Expert - The eighth note beat is back. Keep your transitions in order and the
first half is easily accomplished. The biggest trouble spot is the second
Guitar Solo. The runs are plentiful, the lines are longer, and there's not a
lot of star power. Save your Star Power for this section if you're not as good
with HO/PO in solos. 5-starring this song is possible without nailing the
second solo, but it never hurts to practice.
===============================================================================
5. Return of the Shred
===============================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------
Killing in the Name - Rage Against the Machine
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - Most of the notes that are on weird beats in the beginning are played by
the rest of the band. Rest assured beginners, this song is easy to get a hang
of early in the song.
Medium - On the plus side there are 13 star power phrases, a repetitive line,
and an average difficulty. On the down side this song has a lot of off-beats.
The off-beats in the beginning are played out by the band before you start, but
you don't have the same luck for the choruses. The rhythm is simple once you
get it, just don't let it surprise you.
Hard - Guess what? The off-beats didn't go away! The verses seem very similar
to Medium save for a fast Y-B-Y line. Shifting is your biggest problem during
the verses. During the choruses you will see a lot of B's and BO chords. Timing
is everything here, but if you ignored the chords and just played a flat rhythm
of B you'd be fine. There's also a line of O's that need to be strummed up and
down; they're eighth note triplets if you're music savvy.
The end solo throws you a curveball. You will see three notes of the same color
grouped together in an offbeat rhythm. Be careful strumming this. You will want
to use star power here if you run into trouble.
Expert - Read What I wrote for Hard. Expert did not add much except some
trickier fingering move, like Y-O-Y in the main line after shifting, and then
shifting back! There's a solo with double strumming groups of three right
before the noise build. The noise build looks easy, but proves difficult in
sustaining a high multiplier. Again, if you're having problems, beat it on Hard
a couple times and come back.
-----------------------------------------------------
John the Fisherman - Primus
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - Am I the only one who thinks the lead singer of Primus sounds like Weird
Al? Anyways, there is a bunch of helpful Y-R-G runs in the chorus, it's best to
get used to them now.
Medium - There's not too much out of the ordinary. Be careful rushing the B-G-
R-Y runs, missing the B is an easy way to ruin the multiplier. It's also easy
to mess up the frequent line GR-R-Y, so keep your finger on the red fret after
the chord.
Hard - You do not have to take your finger off R for the opening line GR-R-RB.
The next time you see this run it will be RB-G-R-RB--O. Try shifting at the R,
it really cut down on the number of times I missed it. There's an extended
Bridge between the verses, like a solo for the whole band, and again you will
see the close groups of three notes coming at you fast. Strum up and down. I
have yet to consistently nail this rhythm, so try and get as many notes as
possible. Let me know if you figure it out!
Expert - Take advantage of the easy first half of this song. The three Bridges
cause problems with YO-RB-GY chord patterns. Bridge C has a line of hard runs.
The song is short and low on notes with only 420. Hold out through the solo and
you'll be fine.
-----------------------------------------------------
Freya - The Sword
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - This song is very repetitive and kind of boring. In the middle of the
song there are three Bridges, a Guitar Break, and the second Guitar Solo. These
all have some tricky off-beats making early strumming a common mistake.
Medium - Same as easy, only on the first solo you get your first taste of
sixteenth notes. They are close together, but are comfortably executed. I
highly suggest you use the R-Y lines as hammer-on practice and the BY and RG
lines as pull-off practice in the middle of the song.
Hard - Keep your finger on the G line and press the next button down for the
chord, then immediately remove it. Using PO's can take care of most the four
note runs in the chorus. There are three long bridges in the middle. Each
features a three note pattern constantly repeated. The most troubling is G-O-B.
If you strum the G you can PO the O and B, but it might be easy just to strum
everything. The solo after the Bridges is hard because of the rapid sixteenth
notes. The amount of notes is not the problem; it's transitioning the notes
that kill the multiplier. Slowing this down in Practice mode helps.
Expert - You'll want to practice the chords on the beginning. There's a tricky
combination of G-Y-G-G-RB-YB. The first solo is tough too. The RB-YB chords
come back many times. During the Bridge sections you will see the same riffs
over and over ad nauseum! The most difficult is the G-O-YB. You can HO the O
and then YB. Personally I strummed every note and made it a point to slam down
YB as a reference. Whatever you do, you will have to shift your hand fast. Once
you harness the three repeating melodies you'll be fine for the rest of the
song. It's just a reprise of the beginning.
One more problem is a lack of Star Power. There are only 7 Star Power Phrases,
so choose wisely where you use it.
-----------------------------------------------------
Bad Reputation - Thin Lizzy
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - More off-beats, but a lot easier. I also found this song boring and
repetitive until the solo. Fortunately being on easy means you can just listen
to the eighth note triplets while banging away at quarter notes.
Medium - I suggest using star power when the main line goes into eighth notes
at the beginning. Most of this song is a huge solo, but medium means it's not
hard yet. There is another B-B-B-B-B line that looks like a strait beat but is
really offbeat. It appears twice at the end of the main lines.
Hard - Make sure to strum up and down on the Y's and the B for Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-B-Y.
The second verse has a harder strumming rhythm with the Y regiment and a couple
G's. After the chorus are two solos to the end of the song. The first solo is
easy. Using PO's on the B-Y-R line is useful, but not necessary. I had a higher
score strumming everything. The end of the solo is rhythmically tricky. Stick
it out and you'll be fine!
Expert - First Objective - Work out the sixteenth notes. There is a string of
G's or Y's with a chord (verses) or single note (chorus).
Second Objective - The solos are hard. The second one is worst than the first,
but they're both difficult on their own. Expect a couple Y-B and G-R trills, a
chain of O-B-Y and O-B-Y-R, and a couple stacks of three note sets. Save as
much Star Power as possible for the solos if you have not beaten it yet. 5
starring the song requires you to learn the first objective really well and to
hit most of the solos. Good luck.
-----------------------------------------------------
Last Child - Aerosmith
-----------------------------------------------------
ENCORE SONG, NOT AVAILABLE ON EASY MODE AND ONLY AVAILABLE AFTER COMPLETING 3/4
MEDIUM SONGS AND 4/4 HARD AND EXPERT SONGS!!!!!
Medium - This song feels like it should have more off-beats, but don't be
fooled. Again, there is hammer-on practice on the Y-B at the end of the main
line. Overall a good encore song to rock out to, even if it is a little boring.
If you're not up to par with the on using the four frets then the quarter note
runs are a bit harder. This is a good song to practice this skill.
Hard - The opening rhythm can be tricky. Make sure you have it down because it
comes back a lot! The solos in the middle are also harder. You will notice an
R-Y pattern. You can do this 'trill' by strumming the R once and then pressing
the Y whenever it needs to be played. HO/PO strike again! The solos also
feature faster notes across the board. It's alright to pass, but if you want to
5 star the song it will take a little work.
Expert - The opening line requires some fast shifting for G-BO-R. Once you have
it down the first minute or so floats right on it. This is a good place for
HO/PO practice because of the slower tempo. The second solo at the end gets a
little messy. Save some Star Power if you fall behind.
===============================================================================
6. Relentless Riffs
===============================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------
Crazy on You - Heart
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - In the bridge sections there are some half note triplets, but they're
spaced enough not to get confused.
Medium - The board moves very slow and gives a lot of time to anticipate the
notes. There are frequent off-beats and the verses are chords. A little on the
long side, but with persistence this is a piece of cake.
Hard - The hardest part of this song is the guitar intro. It's all on GRYB and
you should use HO/PO. The pattern repeats, but the pattern is longer and
harder. If you're having excessive difficulties slow it down on Practice mode.
Once that finishes you jump into the verses. Most of what you play are chords,
like GY-GYGYGY-GY-GYGY-GY-G-GY. The last three parts of that run are off-beat,
the G is syncopated for those who understand music. The three GY's need to be
strummed up and down (unless you want a sore arm). The same pattern repeats on
all sorts of chords followed by an easy, descending chorus line. The easy line
has star power a lot of the time, so take advantage of it during the verses.
There are two bridges where you play two note runs. HO/PO do the trick, but
they are off-beat and confusing. You might have to slow this down too, but the
section is not long enough to significantly damage your rock meter.
Expert - Read my the section for Hard mode in addition to this. A lot of the
problems remain the same. There is the harder Guitar Intro, the Bridges expand
from two notes to a chain of notes, and there are four rounds of verses that
sometimes include three note chords. The choruses remain easy with star power;
make sure to save some for the Bridges. Utilize Practice mode if you get stuck,
because once you understand one verse and one Bridge you understand them all!
-----------------------------------------------------
Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart - Stone Temple Pilots
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - This song is straight-forward rhythmically and great to practice on to
develop note transitions. The RY chords appear often at the end of most the
phrases.
Medium - The verses are in half time, so you will be playing eighth notes while
the background is playing sixteenths. This makes easier to play on beat. Make
sure to activate star power around the chords to since they are double value
anyway. Also, look out for the line Y-Y-B-Y-R, it's a lot slower than it looks
and the difference is clear thanks to how the rest of the song moves.
Hard - The song starts on a quick RYO chord and jumps right into the main line.
This time you are not in half time! Right here you have a choice - you can
strum up and down on the G's and GY and have a harder time shifting the Y/YO
progression OR you can strum really fast, have an easier time shifting and a
harder time keeping your arm from hurting. Either way, I highly suggest you use
star power in these sections due to the volume of notes and chords.
Shift to RYBO for the chorus and you should get most of it. Do this twice and
you reach the solo. The solo isn't terribly hard, but it is a challenge worthy
of Hard mode! Almost all of it, especially the ending, is off-beat. A star
power in reserves doesn't hurt if you run into trouble.
Expert - Rhythmically this is no different than Hard. However, expect to see
YBO and RYO chords often: YBO during the verses and RYO at the end of the
chorus. I strummed up and down for the verses, but I found it beneficial to
strum regular when the YBO appeared. The solo, especially Part C. received a
difficulty upgrade. Part A and B have some easier section with runs that can be
HO/PO'd easily.
-----------------------------------------------------
Rock this Town - Stray Cats
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - This song isn't that hard yet, but the rhythm likes to throw fastballs,
so be on guard.
Medium - Welcome to a rhythmic nightmare! Again you will find yourself going
half the speed of the melody, but every few phrases an offbeat riff comes up.
Most of the verses are G-Y repeating, the real problem is what comes after the
verses. A lot of the weird beats disappear toward the end of the song, just be
careful not to be caught with your pants down.
Hard - The rhythmic nightmare from Medium just got a lot worse! The beginning
is not bad. After ever G-GY line there is an 'answer back', normally in the
form of Y-YO-YB..., basically, a set of yellow chords The walking baseline
consists of walking quarter notes. Use these to boost your multiplier, but do
not use them for star power, save that for the verses.
Every so often there is a line of RY chords really close. These are slightly
off-beat, so when strumming make sure you have the rhythm in your mind and that
you don't strum when the section is over and lose your multiplier. The solos
are not much of a hassle until 2A (reference Practice mode for the specifics).
The solo here is more complicated and throws hard rhythms at you at every new
phrase. This solo on Hard is excellent practice for the second solo on Expert!
Expert - Welcome to the first REALLY hard song of the game.
It's time for a lesson in swing! Normally eighth notes are counted as "1+2+..."
or "one and two and ...". Swing beats are "one-da two-da", or "Doo-daw Doo-
daw". Right after the intro you will see R-B R-G over and over! It normally
goes "Doo-daw Doo-daw", but some might find it easier to start on R and go
"Daw-doo Daw-doo".
Watch out for the walking baseline. These are swing eighth notes on a strait
beat. The filler sections are heavy with RB and YO chords. Since hard an extra
Y was thrown in two different places in the yellow-looking filler, and there
are twice as many chords in the red-looking filler.
Finally, keep an eye out for the second solo. There are numerous runs which
need to be double strummed at sections. HO/PO the best you can. It wouldn't
hurt to play this through on Practice mode a few times. Keep at it and you'll
come out on top!
-----------------------------------------------------
Jessica - The Allman Brothers Band
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - The hardest part is the length. The guitar solo seems to go on forever
and seamlessly switches from an easy rhythm to a harder rhythm.
Medium - The main line is another tricky rhythm. However, If you listen to
what's being played by the rest of the band your part will seem to float on top
of it. The G-R-Y-B run of the main line is not an even beat but close enough to
fool you. The solos have odd rhythms that are easy to anticipate and
challenging to execute. The end of the song has a lot of strait notes on the
beat, so don't strum too fast when you see a line of B coming at you.
Hard - There's really not a lot to say specifically. Stay on your feet the
entire way through and you'll be fine. The rhythmic difficulty is high, so
expect a lot of off-beats and 3-4 note runs. The guitar solo has its moments.
Specifically GTR SOLO D was the hardest for me. The ending is also difficult,
but if you made it that far I have no doubt you'll pass the song. Use the ample
amount of star power to send you score soaring when you have a high multiplier.
Expert - This song is notorious for great HO/PO practice. Follow suit with my
Walkthrough for Hard. Passing the song is not an issue until GTR SOLO D and G.
These are HO/PO runs repeated so many times that you will fail if you miss most
of them. If you think the song is really long...well...you're right! There's a
lot to it, which makes passing and 5-starring more difficult. Don't practice
the repeating themes as much as the harder solos.
-----------------------------------------------------
Stop - Jane's Addiction
-----------------------------------------------------
ENCORE SONG, NOT AVAILABLE ON EASY MODE AND ONLY AVAILABLE AFTER COMPLETING A
3/4 MEDIUM SONGS AND 4/4 HARD AND EXPERT SONGS!!!!!
Medium - The Guitar Intro has a tricky beat, but you will have a few chances as
it repeats several times and a few more times near the end of the song. Most
phrases after that start with G-G-G, but these are strangely offbeat (half-note
triplets to those music buffs out there). Pause slightly between each of them,
but return to a normal beat for the rest of the phrase. Rinse, lather, repeat.
The Bridge is half-time and the solo has more weird off-beats. To conquer this
I suggest you watch when the notes are hitting the play bar and keep in time
that way.
Hard - The rhythms just keep getting worse, don't they? The opening passage is
all off-beat, as well as the verses, the riffs, the guitar lead...you get the
point, the whole song is crazy. The four-part Bridge is the only place you'll
see consistently even notes. Take the opportunity to rock this section out. If
you're having a lot of trouble put the song into Practice mode and go from the
beginning to through verse 2. The solo isn't as big a deal as the beginning of
the song because it repeats for the Outro.
Expert - 2 main riffs, 4 bridges, 4 solos Everything I said for Hard is the
same here. The song starts with offbeat chords that go on the beats during
hits.
===============================================================================
7. Furious Fretwork
===============================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------
Madhouse - Anthrax
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - You really have to watch out for the chorus - it has a lot of off-beat
rhythms right next to a strait rhythm.
Medium - If you have learned to use your four fingers for the four frets it
will really show here. There are a lot of notes on the beat and quick
transitions between any on the four frets. There is much room for practice
since the main beat repeats itself several times. Be careful of the chorus too.
The first part has the band doing off-beats while you stay on the beat.
Hard - Time to show off those transition skills! The beginning is fine, the
verses are ok, but there is a continuous line that isn't very difficult but
looks intimidating - B-Y-B-R-B-R-Y-GR. You see this in the beginning at the end
after the chorus. The chorus-line looks fine, but feels wrong when you play it.
The band is singing offbeat, but you are playing YB-Y-Y-YB and several
variations in different positions. The solo is alright, though it gets a little
fast in toward its end.
Expert - Very similar to the Hard version. Watch out for the solo Part B. Read
my tips for Hard above since it's all still relevant. I suggest playing this
song a couple of times through. Earning 5 stars is a little tricky since the Y-
B-Y fill-in kills multipliers. Be careful not to follow the singers during the
chorus and play on the beat.
-----------------------------------------------------
Carry Me Home - The Living End
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - Another great chord practice song. There are plenty of GY, RY, and
finally GR chords at the end of the verses. Be careful of the Chorus, Bridges,
and Solo: they all have a lot of off-beat rhythms that can easily ruin your
multiplier.
Medium - Alright Medium players, welcome to your first really challenging song!
Right after the first intro you will see the line Y-R-B-Y, the R here is fast
(pull-offs anyone?). Once you have that under control you have the Bridges.
Luckily these only come along twice. They start with G-G-something off-beat.
Slow this done in the practice mode if you can't get it, because this beat will
come back to haunt you in expert!
Hard - WHOAH! The difficulty of this song comes out of nowhere! It's not
unusual to fail before the end of the first intro. The runs are very similar to
what you'll see in expert, so practice them well and learn to them love 'em!
The lines you play during the verses need to be strummed up and down. Take note
because this too is very similar on expert. The chorus line features two
offbeat G's and a third note alternating between R, Y, and B. Think short-
short-long-short-long. Make sure to shift when you start playing R's instead of
G.
The solo doesn't even compare to the intro, so you shouldn't worry so much
about it. Perhaps to compliment the difficulty of the song there are 16 star
power phrases. However, only about half of them are easily accessible. This
song is manageable to pass in a few tries, but if you're looking to 5 star it
then you should make good friends with Practice mode.
Expert - If Rock This Town was the first really hard song, then this is
definitely the second! The intro is crazy. A lot of it can be HO/PO'd IF you
can hit all the notes. If nothing else, make sure you can hit the B-Y-R-G-Y
line for Star Power at the end of the large sections. Activate it as soon as
you have it and you'll be set to make it to the verses.
The main line has notes that need to be strummed up and down. Learn to love the
fast RY-YB-RY transitions repeated four times each phrase. These kill my
multiplier almost every time, and from hard experience I'm telling you to shift
for them! The slow section is a good place to salvage some of your rock meter,
but save your Star Power for the next section. This section comprises of G-X-G-
G-X repeated three times followed by BO-YO-RO-BO.
Everything else in the song except the Intro repeats. The solo can cause you
some problems if your rock meter is low, so I advise saving Star Power.
However, the Solo is much easier than the Intro.
I'll include a 5 star guide to this soon. It's pretty tough to get 5 stars,
even if you know where to use star power.
-----------------------------------------------------
Laid to Rest - Lamb of God
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - There's a section called "Odd Riff" that has an offbeat Y that tends to
kill multipliers. Also in the choruses and end of verses there are GR and RY
chords with three off-beat hits.
Medium - Rhythmically this isn't as Tricky as Carry Me Home, but it does have
its bad points. The RY-R-Y come up a lot between RY chords. The Y is faster.
Whenever you see notes closer together like that it will be a faster
transition. The chords are straightforward and near the end of the song you
play 50+ notes on the beat.
Hard - This song is hard in a new way: the line B-R-Y-G. Instinct tells you to
play B-Y-R-G, but instinct is wrong! Next come the fast chords. Most of them
are GY chords played three times, then a three note run, then three more GY
chords. Hold down the fort until the middle of the song. There are GY chords on
beat with the band. Take advantage of the star power to rack up some serious
points! Finally, there is part with two-note runs in the pattern of B-Y and R-
Y. HO/PO make this section an easy recovery area if the rest of the song gave
you problems. Overall the song is hard, and it's about to get worse...
Expert - I failed this song at 95%. It didn't make me very happy. Now I pwn at
it! Anyways, the main line grows a lot harder with trickier fingerings, harder
repeats, and a harder solo. The harder line repeat often, so it won't take many
tries to get the hang of it. Follow my advice for Hard until you get to Verse
3. The line is as long as it is Hard.
-----------------------------------------------------
Psychobilly Freakout - Reverend Horton Heat
-----------------------------------------------------
Easy - Alright, last song of the easy career! The rhythm is definitely the
hardest of the easy songs, so make sure you're thinking the entire way through.
The GR chords are in accessible areas as are the star power phrases. Passing
this song is manageable with little practice, but 5 starring it could take a
couple more tries.
Congratulations, you've beaten Guitar Hero 2 on Easy!!!
Medium - One of the hardest songs in the game starts to live up to its
reputation. The notes of the intro (and the whole song) go from being on the
beat to off the beat without warning. Be careful not to over-strum the G-R
patterns since they will blend in with each other. At the end of the long
phrases are patterns of R-Y repeated 12 times or so. If you watch the patterns
on the screen you will probably mess up, so try looking away and strumming the
beat like normal. I found that strategy to work well, but it might not be for
you. About 2/3 the way through the song you will play the intro line again
followed by an easy solo line. The rest of the solo is easier than what you've
seen and again, you'll see the R-Y pattern. Enjoy this song while it's still
simple!
Hard - If you thought the other three songs were hard you haven't seen anything
yet! The beginning is brutal, not nearly as bad as Carry Me Home, but close.
Now for the easy sections: the choruses! These mostly consist of R-YB a good
many times in a row. It's almost impossible to keep an eye on it, so look away
and listen to the song. The chords at the end have star power, make it count!
To order the difficulty, everything before the first chorus is the hardest.
Between the first and second chorus is a manageably hard solo. A Low Melody
follows the second chorus. Don't get complacent, it's just a prelude to the
brutal second solo. The ending after the third chorus is gentle, but be careful
strumming the BO chords. I can't give you any other help besides "Do your best"
and "Use Practice mode and slow this thing down!".
Expert - This is easily one of the hardest songs in the game. No pressure :).
The opening lines go fast, but try HO/PO the R-Y's and make an effort to hit
the G's. When the intro kicks into full gear make sure to hit the greens with
the other notes you can get out. The first 20% of this song is the hardest, so
don't get discouraged if you fail a lot before then. Doing better on the intro
and hitting the RYO chord with star power considerably increases the chance of
making it past 20%. Make sure and hit those G's from the crazy runs and HO/PO
all you can. Once you make it past the first solo you're home free!
Ok. I lied. There's a lot left, but the worst is over. After a line of R-O
chords comes an RB-YO set at a fast tempo. There's two ways you can do this -
either train your muscles to finger the notes that fast or shift your index
finger and middle finger down from RB to YO. This takes a lot of practice. Pick
your poison and go with it! Try to pick up the star power at the end or, if you
have Star Power, use it during the RB-YO sequence. I still can't hit them all,
but I find that playing three chords, pausing, and then another three chords
works well. Star Power also helps immensely by putting your Rock meter in the
Green after almost all of these sets.
The second line is not as hard as the first. It's no walk in the park, but it's
at least manageable! The hardest part is a line of YB chords followed by a line
of BO chords. Double strum these and take as many notes as you can from the
next part. Enter the second RB-YO sequence.
Does the next part look familiar? This is why it's critical to nail first intro
- it happens again right here! Next comes one of the easiest solos ever. After
that is another solo. It's tougher than the second, but with double strumming
and good note transitions you'll make it. Enter the RB-YO sequence one more
time and then the ending: a line of alternating double strummed chords. If you
made it this far I have faith in your ability to complete this last part.
It goes without saying that you should slow a lot of this song down in Practice
mode. Place emphasis on the first Intro and try your best with other parts of
the song. I recommend playing through it a couple times at full speed just for
the practice of playing through the entire song. You wouldn't want to get past
the part you were stuck on just to get stuck on another part, would you?
After it's all said and done treat yourself to a well-earned rest. Or a fun
Encore. Your call.
-----------------------------------------------------
YYZ - Rush
-----------------------------------------------------
ENCORE SONG, NOT AVAILABLE ON EASY MODE AND ONLY AVAILABLE AFTER COMPLETING 4/4
SONGS ON ANY DIFFICULTY!!!!!
Medium - Besides the fact YYZ sounds really intimidating it's actually really
fun to play. Knowing where all four notes are with your fingers is essential.
There's a lot of slower three note runs in the verses and chorus. The bass and
drum solos (ie, everything up to the solo) chords played both fast and slow.
The solo is challenging because of the faster pick-up notes, the ones you can
hammer-on and pull-off. Besides that just be careful of the Outro, it has B-Y-
R-G come at you really fast. This almost has to be a pull-off.
Hard - Again, this sounds and looks a lot harder than it is. The verse line is
B-Y-B-Y-R-G and O-B-O-B-Y-R. The Y-B-Y and B-O-B are faster than the rest, so I
recommend you look at it as B, Y-B-Y, R-G. There are two verses to this song,
so get used to them both. Next are the Bass and Drum solos. In this time you're
playing a series of chords both on and off the beat. Pay attention, they're
exactly the same in Expert! The guitar solo is alright at first, just be really
careful of the end, GTR SOLO D, there are many sets of threes. Overall this
song is a well-earned break. Enjoy it!
Expert - Take a deep breath and relax. YYZ is not nearly as hard as the rest of
this tier!
The song keeps the same beginning line of off-beat notes. These are the easiest
hundred notes or so of the song! The first melody, B-B-Y-B-Y-R-R-G demands the
use of pull-offs except for the first two B's and last R that must be strummed.
The pattern also shifts, but it does isn't any more complicated. The line O-B-
Y-B-O-B-O should also use HO/PO. Both lines frequently have star power. After
an easier section come the bass and drum solos. Your fills are identical to
Hard. Be careful of the G-G-G-G-GY-GY that needs strumming up and down.
Immediately following the bass and drum solos is the guitar solo. Make sure you
have star power saved for the end of the solo - you'll recognize it by the
multitude of three note patterns and a G. The solo ends on a variety of easy
sustains. Had a good break? Good. The rest of the song is a reprise of the B-B-
Y-B-Y-R-R-G lines and the beginning line.
===============================================================================
8. Face Melters - Stonehenge UK
===============================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------
Beast and the Harlot - Avenged Sevenfold
-----------------------------------------------------
Medium - The intro is easy and the stay power should be a given. The main
verse, repeated twice, sticks with the G, R, and Y frets. The verse is mostly
off-beats, but enough off-beats to create a beat of its own! The chorus,
besides sounding pretty, is also in half time. The solo could give some
rhythmic problems, but not much since it's all on the beat. This is a great
place to activate star power. Next is another round of verses and chorus, then
another offbeat pattern that comes out of nowhere. Then there's another chorus,
the chorus with a key change, and the easy intro played as the outro. During
the last chorus lines be careful of the B fret, it ruined constantly ruined my
multiplier!
Hard - After the intro you're playing half-time. The hardest chords to hit are
YB and when GR and RY are right next to each other. The chorus also has half
the notes it does in Expert, so follow along and enjoy the pretty progression!
The solo comes after the chorus. While it's still hard you can hit most the
notes with HO/PO. Save some star power for the sixteenth note runs and you'll
be fine. The verse and the chorus are basically the same, only this time there
are two Bridge sections immediately following with notes on every beat. This
isn't too hard, anticipate their execution and you'll hit most of them. Another
round of choruses and you're done!
Expert - First song of the last tier! Keep going, you're almost done! To start,
hit all the notes in the beginning and get the star power. Immediately
following the R-O chord from the easy section are intimidating lines of red: R-
R-R-R-Y R-R-R-R-B, etc. The R's needs to be strummed up and down, but you don't
have to let go and HO the Y. There is a slight pause between each R-R-R-R-X
set, about enough time to strum the final note, lift your thumb up to the strum
bar and grasp it again for the next run. Pay close attention to the timing,
it's nearly identical for the verses. The main line is a sea of green: G-G-G-G-
RY G-G-G-G-YB. The hardest part is hitting the chord. The chords alternate
between GR, RY, and YB. At times there are only two or three G's or two chords
in a row. It's very challenging to build a multiplier above x2. If you hit most
of the G's you will not fail the song. Practicing the R-R-R-R-X section works
well to learn the timing as does Practice mode on Slower.
The chorus is the part to build a multiplier and raise your rock meter. It
starts with R-Y-B-O and changes to G-R-Y-B, G-Y-B-O, and G-R-B-O. The most
challenging part is keeping the continuous eighth notes going. It's easy to
rush this section so pay attention to tempo.
After the chorus is a break to the solo. The runs at the start of the solo are
difficult albeit HO/PO accessible. The real kicker is the G-G-G-R-R-R-etc line.
The sets of three are extremely close together and the line moves fast! The
best advice I have is to strum up and down and move your hand up and down the
line. It goes from G to O and back twice. A couple simpler runs needing HO/PO
come next and then the fast descending line again with some slower lines not
far behind.
Whew! The worst is over! The verses and chorus kick in again. After that is a
mix of chords and an ascending/descending line of notes. It's different from
the chorus, but the same general idea. Keep the tempo in mind as you execute.
Two more choruses and you're done with this marathon!
-----------------------------------------------------
Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies
-----------------------------------------------------
Here's the layout of this song: a simple rhythm, a solo, the simple rhythm
again, and a hard chorus. Repeat this three times and that's the song!
Medium - I found the first solo to be the hardest just because of the several
lines of Y or R with weird beats. Don't bother trying to figure out the beat,
just watch very closely to when they cross the play line. Listen carefully to
the second time you play the simple rhythm before the chorus - it speeds up.
The chorus starts is a G-R-G-R-Y-R. These are all triplets, think of them like
G-R-G and R-Y-R. This speeds up as well into four repeating lines of fast eight
notes: the first line is G, then Y, R, and the G again. Keep pushing the tempo!
Immediately you're hit with your G-R-G and R-Y-R friends again. The second solo
is a lot of off-beat G-Y and R-B runs. Listen to the band and strum a little
bit ahead of what you're hearing. The final solo, while the hardest on other
difficulties, is the tamest on Medium. Good luck, this song is a challenge.
Hard - The first solo is very potent, be careful or you might fail while trying
to hit all the notes. Get your fingers ready for GB/RO chords for the star
power. HO/PO are a given, but Practice mode is recommended if you're trying to
5 star this song. You'll experience the same acceleration of tempo as in
Medium, but this time the chorus uses the notes GY-B-G-RB-O-R. Think of it as
two sets of threes, GY-B-G and RB-O-R. When you're playing the line be thinking
1-2-3-1-2-3. Only the 1's are on the beat. For the off-beat chords strum a
little ahead of what you're hearing from the band and you should get them all.
They're all off-beat and stay that way until the GY-B-G-RB-O-R pattern returns.
Remember, everything is speeding up, so push the tempo as you go and you won't
miss the repeated notes. The second solo is the easiest, 'easy' being a loose
term here! The third solo still hasn't become ugly yet. Keep your head about
you and you'll pass this song with little problem. Practice those solos and
especially nail the chorus if you want a 5 star.
Expert - I'll break this down like the original description:
Simple Rhythm - The same as hard save for an extra note here and there.
First Solo - This one is rough. It requires quick HO/PO with quick three-note
runs and odd sustains. You have two opportunities for Star Power before the
solo starts. Get this Star Power at all costs! Slow the solo down if you're on
a quest for five stars. You're going to need to use your Star Power later!
Chorus - I found this combination to be easier than Hard. GY-YB-GY-RB-BO-RB is
the new rhythm. Think of these like three note patterns and start pushing the
tempo. Continue pushing the tempo into the line of chords. Normally rushing in
music is bad, but you have to do it here to hit all the notes. This is also the
best place to use Star Power.
Second Solo - This isn't as bad as you'd think. G-R-B runs are easier to PO
than they seem and they don't even last that long. Be prepared to do this
section without Star Power since you probably won't have it.
Third Solo - At first it's no big deal, but then it gets really hard really
fast. HO/PO's appear to be the answer, but the lines are moving so fast you
probably won't get half the notes unless you carelessly strum through it. You
will probably have Star Power, so feel free to utilize it when it gets bad.
Once more, I recommend that those trying to 5 star the song save their Star
Power for the chorus.
-----------------------------------------------------
Misirlou - Dick Dale
-----------------------------------------------------
Medium - Compared with Institutionalized this is a piece of cake! Almost all
the notes are on the beat and you're playing half time, so speed is not an
issue (yet). There are two technical areas that need attention. The first is
the recognizable melody line, the "Pulp Fiction theme". The second is near the
end when the tempo slows down. Both are manageable. Overall, a fun break from
the difficulty!
Hard - Rhythmically this is no walk in the park. The song starts off tame but
has some phasing in the background (that means the tempo will feel like it
speeds up and slows down). Most of the notes are at a comfortable half time
with note transition issues. Take note of the transitions since they're the
same for Expert. The two guitar breaks require you to strum up and down. There
is no way around it! The notes come at you in intimidating clumps. Depending on
what the actual tempo of the song is these notes are either sixteenth notes or
thirty-second notes! As long as you stay on tempo you will hit most of them.
The hard part is transitioning to the next note. Make sure you practice this!
Expert - The first reaction of many is "Whoa! That's a lot of notes!".
Depending on the true tempo of the song, the fast notes are either sixteenth
notes or thirty second notes. The beat is constant, and once you find it the
song turns from daunting to doable. The most frequent mistake I've experienced
is changing notes too soon. The notes are coming by fast, but for the sake of
your multiplier try to hold them through as long as possible. The end of each
note chain transitions to the next with an HO/PO note. Feel free to use it if
it's easier. Milk the slower section for all it's worth. That includes the Star
Power, because the worst part of the song is coming up. A chain of G's turns
into a G-G Y-Y G-G O-O-etc exercise. There is a slight pause between each of
the two notes. If you can't hit the pause either slow it down in Practice mode
or strum all the G's, hit a wrong note, then all the extra notes. Whatever you
decide, try to hit most the notes. After the Guitar Break comes the
recognizable melody line in it's true, double strumming form. Save for one more
Guitar Break the rest of the song consists of fast lines where the hardest part
is transitioning at the right time. Try to keep that multiplier high. The
increased amount of notes is a gold mine for points!
-----------------------------------------------------
Hangar 18 - Megadeth
-----------------------------------------------------
Medium - The first half of this song is very straightforward: eighth note
chords to start and a simple rhythm for the verses. Do note that during the
verses when you see either a yellow or blue sustained it is off-beat. The pace
stays the same until the tempo, and the entire song, changes beat. This is a
gigantic guitar solo. The solo itself is alright, however, you will have to
strum fast groups of two and three from time to time. Whenever the solo seems
to be throwing a ton of notes at you strum eighth notes and you should be fine.
One of the last notes is a B with a ton of B's following it. These are even
sixteenth notes and you'll need to strum up and down. Don't go crazy, they stay
on beat.
Hard - The best way not to mess the beginning chords up is to shift after the
first GB set. The song goes verse, solo, verse, solo, solo, solo, etc. I can't
say much more about the solos other than "Good Luck!". I will warn you that
there are five back-to-back solos at the end. I had the most trouble with 7 and
8 on Hard. There are two sections called 'Big Riff 1+2' and 'Bigger Riff'. Big
Riff isn't the easiest progression, but it is a great place to get you rock
meter higher if you've been having trouble with the solos. Bigger Riff features
Y-R-G-Y-B-R-RY-RY-RY continuously. Work on this, especially the Y-B-R part so
you can finish the hardest three solos with a solid rock meter.
Expert - Go into Practice mode right now and play from Solo 2 to the end a
couple of times. I say this because the beginning is long and easy, mostly what
you saw in Hard. Save yourself a couple minutes and practice the hard stuff
now.
You probably already guessed, but the solo is evil! Nailing the Big Riff
section is essential in 5 starring this song.
Was this too brief? There's so much to say about the solos, but really,
different people find different parts of it hard. This song is hit or miss with
a lot of people, and I really have no idea where to start!
-----------------------------------------------------
Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
-----------------------------------------------------
ENCORE SONG, NOT AVAILABLE ON EASY MODE AND ONLY AVAILABLE AFTER COMPLETING 4/4
SONGS ON ANY DIFFICULTY!!!!!
Medium - YES! I want to play this song! You don't have to ask me 4 times!!!
Oh...yeah...FAQ! Two things to know about this song: long and hard. Fortunately
it's not too hard yet. The main melody is played twice at a slow tempo. Some of
the notes get confusing, but in comparison to songs like Psychobilly Freakout
it's rather basic. The slow verses are great places to practice HO/PO, just
look for the white note. The tempo speeds up after the second verse and the
rest of the song is one long guitar solo. In the detailed breakdown it has 19
parts. Specifically be careful of part C and part J. You won't know what these
parts are unless you go on practice mode (or play the song yourself and mess up
the most here). If you're on the lookout for off-beats it should be little
problem. Also realize there are more G-R, R-Y, and Y-B lines repeated so many
times you almost have to look away to avoid messing up. If you do, let one of
the progressions pass by and pick it back up from there.
Congratulations, you've beaten Guitar Hero 2 on Medium!
Hard - The slow part contains slow strings of white notes for HO/PO practice
(some are over 10 notes long!). Most of the solo is either an easy repetition
of a previous section with different notes or three note runs. Especially watch
out of part C, J, and End Wankery. The three note runs are mostly B-Y-R. PO's
make these runs a breeze! End Wankery has the first and third note of three-
note runs and the timing is awkward. Other than that, enjoy! Since there are so
many notes your score will be rather high. You can 5 star the song with a
decent run. The 5 star cutoff is around 300,000 points.
Congratulation, you've beaten Guitar Hero 2 on Hard
Expert - This is the same drill as hard, only now you're in HO/PO heaven! There
are a couple more runs and trills in the beginning, but nothing you can't
handle given a couple tries. The worst parts of the solos are C, D, E, F, J, L,
and S. Most of those are continuous three note runs. C is particularly
unforgiving in that it's a fast R-Y-B-Y-R-Y-B-etc run. I found it helpful to
keep a finger on Y and tap the R and B back and forth. It's not pretty, but it
gets the job done. C is definitely a section for Star Power. The sections
following it are three note runs of O-B-Y and B-Y-R with some Y-B-O-B-Y (BYOB,
if you will!) thrown in for good measure. J is the section of four note runs.
They start out ok, but it's harder to keep tempo and you may wind up with one
or two note using PO's. Strum on the B if you mess up, or strum on every B and
just PO four notes at a time. L and S are variations of runs that could lead to
failing the song if you mess up badly on them. Be careful of End Wankery (the
section when you can tell the song is about to end) as there are fast O-B-Y
runs.
I highly recommend attacking the solos in Practice mode and playing through
them once or twice to avoid any surprises when it's time for the real thing.
With a decent run a 4 star is almost guaranteed.
Congratulations, you've beaten Guitar Hero 2 on Expert. I guess you think
you're hot stuff now, huh? Now go outside, feel the sunshine, and reclaim some
of those friends you may have been ignoring.
Oh, and you're welcome :)!
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Feel free to email me with question/comments/suggestions. Including "Guitar
Hero 2" in the subject line would be helpful. If the email warrants a response,
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Be forewarned that I will not respond well to spamming, needless bashing of my
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I plan on updating this FAQ with some of the harder extra songs and updated
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